1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for providing print attribute resources to transform processes and, in particular, providing a common repository for print attribute values to be applied to transform processes executing in multiple controllers in a network printing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Network printing systems generally comprise an assemblage of different printers, client computers, servers, and other components connected over a network. A print job is assembled at a client computer and transmitted over the network to a server linked to a variety of printers. The printers may have different printing capabilities. Thus, for a given submitted print job, some printers in the network may not be able to process the print job. To route print jobs through a network printing system, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides Printing Systems Manager (PSM ) products that provide centralized and distributed management of a network printing system. The IBM PSM systems manage the flow of print jobs and insure that a print job is routed to a printer that can handle the job.
A print job is comprised of one or more electronically-stored files and the print attributes therefor. The print attributes inform the printer how to process the files. To assemble print jobs, prior art systems include software installed on the client computer that displays a graphical user interface (GUI). Using a mouse, keyboard, etc., the user selects from a menu of options displayed in the GUI the components and print attributes for a print job. The client computer, under control of the installed software, would then create an electronically-stored job ticket based on the information entered by a user. A xe2x80x9cuserxe2x80x9d as that term is used herein refers to a system administrator that configures a network printing system or anyone using the system, such as a person at a client computer creating and submitting print jobs, i.e., an end user.
Job tickets typically only define the print attributes for a single file. However, a document may be comprised of multiple files, each having one or more print attributes. A file submitted to the printer often includes printer instructions in a page description language (PDL) such as POSTSCRIPT(trademark). POSTSCRIPT is a trademark of Adobe Systems, Incorporated. The PostScript language is used by many printers and applications to provide the complex fonts, graphics, and image handling capabilities required by today""s applications. The PostScript language must be interpreted by either the printer or a transform process to produce a printed image file that is ready to be printed. Transform processes, such as PS2AFP, TIFF2AFP, etc., are daemons executing in a controller that transform an input data stream, e.g., PostScript, TIFF, etc., into a printer readable output stream. Transformation often involves the transformation of a print file to a bit-mapped image format, also known as a raster image, which is capable of being processed directly by the printer. At some point in the print process, a print file must be converted to a bit map file in the server, printer or other location.
A xe2x80x9cprint attributexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cprint attribute valuexe2x80x9d as that term is used herein refers to any type of control factor that is used to affect the print transform process which generates an output data stream that controls the printer. Print attributes include:
Form definitions: Form definitions provide instructions on how printer devices position data on the page. Form definitions can specify overlays, a paper source for cut-sheet printer devices, duplexed printing, text suppression, data position, and the number and modifications of pages;
Page definitions: Page definitions contain the formatting controls for line data. Page definitions can include controls for the number of lines per logical page, font selection, print direction, and the mapping of individual fields to positions on the logical page;
Page segments: Page segments contain text and images that you can include at any addressable point on a page or an electronic overlay;
Overlays: Overlays are collections of predefined data such as lines, shading, text boxes, or logos, that can merge with variable data on a page or a form during printing; and
Fonts: A font is a single size and typeface in a particular type family, including letters, numerals, punctuation marks, special characters, and ligatures.
In distributed printing environments having multiple printers, a print job is directed toward a logical printer which associates a printer/server/controller with the print job. A user may then assign default job or document print attributes. The default job print attributes apply to all jobs submitted to the server, i.e., logical printer. The default document print attributes provide print attributes for a particular document. However, with present systems for selecting print attribute values, results of processed print jobs may vary, thereby providing inconsistent printing results.
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, the preferred embodiments disclose a method and system for processing print jobs, while guaranteeing uniformity in print attributes across different servers and physical printers. One of a plurality of transform processes is selected from at least two controllers to process input data files associated with print jobs. The controller including the selected transform process processes at least one configuration file to determine a set of print attribute values and submits the determined set of print attribute values to the selected transform process. The selected transform process processes the input data file in accordance with the submitted set of print attribute values to produce an output data stream. Additional transform processes executed in the controllers are selected. The controllers including the additional transform processes process the configuration file to determine print attribute values and submit the determined set of print attribute values to the additional selected transform processes. The additional transform processes process the input data files in accordance with the submitted set of print attribute values to produce additional output data streams. The output data streams generated from different controllers and transform processes have compatible print attribute values across the selected transform processes and controllers.
In further embodiments, print attribute values may be provided for the specific print job and the controllers. In yet further embodiments, print attribute values may be determined hierarchically, with certain print attribute values overriding other provided print attribute values.
With current systems for selecting print attribute values, the different printers/controllers/servers in the network printing system may have different configuration files defining print attribute values. This variance in configuration files used by printers/servers/controllers may result in output streams having different print attributes because different printers/server/controllers may use different files of print attribute values to process a print job. For instance, different printers may load different fonts to process the same job. Accordingly, the results of processed print jobs may vary in a network printing system depending upon which controller receives the print job and the default print attributes for that controller. Compounding this, a job itself can alter the printer environment. The print job may load print attributes into the printer. For these reasons, consistency in generating output data streams across controllers cannot be insured.
Preferred embodiments provide a method and system for providing a set of consistent print attribute values across multiple controllers and servers executing transform processes. In this way, transform processes executing in different controllers may receive the same print attributes from a common configuration file, thereby producing output data streams having consistent print attribute values. Such a system normalizes printing environments across servers, printer controllers, and printers to insure printing consistency.